Label machine indexing

ABSTRACT

THIS SPECIFICATION DISCLOSES LABELING APPARATUS THAT ACCURATELY AND INTERMITTENTLY ADVANCES A STRIP OF INTERGRALLY INTERCONNECTED LABELS TO BE CUT AND APPLIED TO ARTICLES, BY THE USE OF INDEXING FEED BOSSES THAT ARE MOUNTED ON A HUB, THAT FIT INTO OPENINGS IN THE LABEL STRIP, AND THAT HAVE A TAPERED SOCKET INTO WHICH A RECIPROCATED TAPERED PIN INTERFITS FOR LABEL STRIP POSITIONING BY MINOR SHIFTING OF THE HUB. EACH LABEL CUT FROM THE END OF THIS ACCURATELY POSITIONED STRIP IS GRIPPED BY A PASSING VACUUM HEAD HAVING ITS VACUUM ORIFICES CONTROLLABLY EXPOSED AS THEY PASS A SPECIAL SEALING FLAP.   D R A W I N G

Dec. 26, 1972 J. R. DAVIES ET AL LABEL MACHINE INDEXING 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 7, 1971 INVENTORE :roHu r2, DAVIES KORNELI s PLA TTESCHORE BY w M Dec. 26, 1972 DAVlES ET AL 3,707,423

LABEL MACHINE INDEXING Filed Jan. '7, 1971 I5 Sheets-Sheet 3 60 o o o 0/ P1 63 o o o o W fig FIG.6

United States Patent 3,707,423 LABEL MACHINE INDEXING John R. Davies, Grand Rapids, and Kornelis Platteschorre,

Grandville, Mich., assignors to Oliver Machinery Company, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Filed Jan. 7, 1971, Ser. No. 104,604 Int. Cl. B65c 9/18 US. Cl. 156-517 15 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This specification discloses labeling apparatus that accurately and intermittently advances a strip of integrally interconnected labels to be cut and applied to articles, by the use of indexing feed bosses that are mounted on a hub, that fit into Openings in the label strip, and that have a tapered socket into which a reciprocated tapered pin interfits for label strip positioning by minor shifting of the hub.

Each label cut from the end of this accurately positioned strip is gripped by a passing vacuum head having its vacuum orifices controllably exposed as they pass a special sealing flap.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to labeling apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for intermittently advancing a label strip, successively cutting individual labels from the strip, and feeding and applying the cut labels to articles with a vacuum feed head.

The advancement of a label strip to a label cut off and applicator by a pin wheel having pins that interfit with openings in the label strip is a well known art. The strip is successively cut into individual labels applied to objects.

One troublesome factor in conducting this operation constitutes achievement of and maintenance of accurate strip positioning prior to cut otf so as to obtain labels of accurate length and positioning. An indexing pin wheel can be made to do this, but this requires very costly manufacture, as is well known. The pins have to be extremely accurately machined and located. The components of the drive train to the indexing pin wheel must be carefully designed, machined, and assembled to have practically no play or slop. And, a separate costly index wheel is needed for each different size label to be handled by the apparatus. The inventors herein realized that novel, inexpensive apparatus capable of achieving accurate label strip positioning was needed.

A second troublesome factor in conducting this operation with conventional equipment involves pick up and advancement of the labels as cut off, to the object to be labeled. Most effective grip of the labels by the vacuum transfer head, to prevent slippage of the label thereon and consequent partial loss of accurate positioning, is theoretically obtained with a plurality of suction orifices on the label pick up and advance head, to engage each label over portions of its length. However, use of such a plurality of orifices either involves less grip at the crucial time when the label is being picked up due to loss of suction with several orifices being exposed while only part of the orifices adjacent the front end of the label are covered, or else provision of a complex multi-ported valve specially arranged for each label length. The inventors herein realized this and that a novel structure had to be devised if a plurality of orifices were to be used with a reasonable size vacuum pump, while retaining a simple single port valve.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of this invention is a labeling machine with novel label strip feed and alignment means. The appa- 3,707,423 Patented Dec. 26, 1972 ratus, by its nature, provides accurate label strip positioning, yet is relatively inexpensive. The indexing wheel need not be machined with special accuracy. The drive train need not be carefully made without play. In fact, the novel apparatus takes advantage of the drive train play, enabling the equipment cost to drop markedly. The conventional pin wheel is substituted by a special boss Wheel with bosses around its periphery. Positioning of the label strip, after each intermittent advancement by the boss wheel, is achieved by inter-engagement of cooperative male and female members between the bosses and an adjacent alignment device. Preferably female sockets or recesses on the bosses receive a reciprocating male alignment pin protrusion. The bosses each have a tapered recess receiving the pin, which is correspondingly tapered.

Another object of the invention is a labeling machine which employs a plurality of suction orifices on the advancing head for the individual labels cut off the label strip, yet only requiring a moderate size vacuum pump and simple valve arrangements. The orifices can be of any desired number, successively placed in engagement along the length of the label to prevent slippage between the label and the head. A special sealing flap closes off those orifices not yet adjacent the label surface, to prevent premature orifice exposure and loss of vacuum.

These and other objects and features of this novel labeling apparatus will be apparent from a study of the description and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the novel labeling apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus in FIG. 1, taken from the direction II indicated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the label strip advancing and index means in the apparatus in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a portion of the drive train for the mechanism in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of a portion of the apparatus in FIGS. 1 and 2, taken in the direction V of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the apparatus in FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now specifically to the drawings, the labeling apparatus 10 includes a label strip reel 12 subassembly, a label strip advancing and positioning subassembly 14, label pick up, heating, and applicator subassembly 16 and article advancing subassembly 18, among other components.

Reel subassembly 12 includes a conventional reel 20 containing wound thereon a continuous label strip LS. This label strip constitutes an integral strip of repeat pattern label sections inconventional fashion, each section including a cut out opening or orifice 0. By rotating reel 20, the label strip may be withdrawn therefrom for passage around suitable rotatable guide idlers 30 and 32, and then around the label strip advancing subassembly 14. Rotation of subassembly 14 pulls the label strip from the reel, allowing it to be advanced adjacent guide surfaces 36 and 37 by a pair of strip squeezing feed rollers 38 and 40, at least one of which is powered. Immediately downstream of 38 and 40 is conventional cut off means such as knife 42 and anvil 44 (FIG. 6) to sever individual labels L from the strip LS. Each cut label is gripped by a pair of feed rollers 48 and 50, at least one of which is powered. Rollers 38, 40, 48 and 50 are mounted to suitable supports at their ends, e.g. supports 52 for roller 40, andsupports 54 for roller 50. The individual labels L, as fed from rollers 48 and 50 are seized by one of two passing arcuate suction heads 60 on a revolving support 62, both forming portions of subassembly 16. This subassembly includes a plurality, here two, of such suction heads 60. Each head has a plurality of vacuum or suction openings 64 spaced along the suction head to engage successive portions of the individual label picked up by the suction head. Suitable heater means such as an electrical mechanism is preferably used to heat the suction heads for heat activation of the adhesive on the individual labels as the label is advanced to the object. The heater has a control knob 70 and an indicator 72. Subassembly 16 revolves on its shaft 76 in synchronized relationship to intermittent rotation of subassembly 14 by being drivingly interconnected therewith.

The individual labels retained on suction head 60 are advanced and simultaneously activated during passage past arcuate label restrainer 80 and ultimately into engagement with an advancing article A to be labeled. Since the particular machine illustrated in these drawings was designed for labeling tape cassettes, the article A is shown as such, standing on end. Other articles could of course be labeled. The label is pressed against the passing article while the article is restrained on its opposite side by a resilient e.g. foam polymer support wheel 84. The articles are advanced on a suitable conveyor track 86 (FIG. 1) forming part of subassembly 18, guided by bars 88 extending along the track. The conveyor may include a suitable counter 90 if desired.

Important to this invention is the cooperation of reciprocating alignment arm subassembly 15 with label strip advancing subassembly 14. Subassembly 15 includes an elongated arm 100 mounted on one end on a vertical pivot shaft 102 and having at its other end, a tapered pin 104 projecting radially toward the cylindrically shaped label strip advancing hub 106 of subassembly 14. By rotation of shaft 102 in opposite directions through a controlled arc, pin 104 may be caused to reciprocate through an arc toward and away from hub 106. This movement of shaft 102 is achieved by causing a cam follower 106 to follow a rotational eccentric cam 108, the cam follower being mounted on a radial arm 110 also attached to shaft 102 at the lower end thereof (FIG. 2). Cam 108 is mounted on rotational drive shaft 114 positioned below hub 106 and drivingly interconnected with the hub through an intermittent drive means (FIG. 4) to "be described. Movement of arm 100 and hub 106 are thus synchronized. Further, subassembly 16 is synchronized therewith by having shaft 76 of subassembly 16 being driven by shaft 114 through sprockets 115 and 77 and connecting chain 79.

Shaft 114 intermittently drives hub 106, indirectly using radial drive finger 107, spring 105, pin 111, and pin 109 in a manner to be described hereinafter. The shaft itself is driven in intermittent fashion, approximately 90 during each movement, by a conventional Geneva drive illustrated in FIG. 4. This Geneva drive includes a multilobe driven member 120 into the recesses of which the drive eccentrics 122 of hub 124 engage during rotation of hub 124 adjacent member 120. This type of drive arrangement allows a certain amount of play in the drive train for the mechanism. Although such would be highly detrimental in a normal labeling apparatus because of inaccuracies of label strip position resulting at the cutting knife, with the novel apparatus the play is not detrimental. More specifically, the apparatus employs this play of the drive train to hub 106 to allow the hub to be advanced a small amount after its shift, to achieve accurate registry.

The drive of hub 106 from shaft 114 is as follows. When the Geneva drive rotates shaft 114 about 90, clockwise in the device as illustrated (FIG. 3), it rotates radially extending finger 107 attached thereto clockwise through the same angle. A tension spring 105 is attached between finger 107 and a pin 111 anchored to hub 106 radially offset from shaft 114 and behind finger 107 (relative to its direction of arcuate shift). Hence, when finger 107 is arcuately shifted, spring 105 pulls pin 111 and hub 106 to rotate it. Pin 109 which is attached to hub 106 immediately behind finger 107, moves in that arcuate direction also. When shaft 114 and hub 106 stop rotating, the hub is biased by spring 105 to a position where the socket 132 in boss 130 is just beyond true alignment with tapered pin 104. Thus, with subsequent shift of pin 104 into socket 132, hub 106 is shifted a. small amount in the counterclockwise direction, i.e. opposite to the major movement. This pulls the label strip LS back a small amount to an accurate registry position as will be apparent.

As noted, this small shift is achieved by causing pin 104 on arm to shift into an opening on one of spaced stations 130. Each station comprises a circular boss which projects radially from the peripheral surface of hub 106 and is complementary in shape to the end of the elongated orifices or openings 0 in label strip LS for driving engagement therewith as illustrated. Rotation of hub 106 with insertion of a boss 130 into an orifice 0 causes label strip LS to be advanced around hub 106. Movement of hub 106 is intermittent and through a controlled arc of about 90, causing label strip LS to be advanced in increments. Then, the minor movement of the hub and label strip is achieved through interengagement of tapered insert pin 104 with a correspondingly tapered recess 132 in the adjacent boss. This causes slight shifting of the hub against the bias of spring and away from stop pin 109. These two components are complementarily configurated so that, with interfit thereof, exact rotational position of hub 106 is achieved. The slack of label strip LS between hub 106 and knife 42 is removed by rolls 28 and 40 together with slight backward movement of strip LS for exact registry of label strip LS to knife 42.

In the illustrated apparatus, the recesses or sockets 132 are shown as in the bosses that drive the label strip. It will be under stood that there may be additional label strip advancing bosses that do not possess alignment sockets 132, as shown for example in phantom at in FIG. 3. In fact, the alignment stations can be in a different series and even offset from the label advancing bosses, if desired.

Another important aspect of this invention involves the transfer of individual cut labels L from rolls 48 and 50 to suction head 60. Specifically, immediately adjacent the label pick up station at rollers 48 and 50 and positioned to engage the suction head 60 to cover multiple ports 64 thereof is a sealing member which constitutes a flexible flap as of Teflon arranged to be generally tangentlal to the arcuate face of suction head 60. It has one edge mounted on a vertical post 142 (FIGS. 1 and 6), with the free end thereof extending toward the position where label L emerges from between rollers 48 and 50. Post 142 is suspended from a suitable bracket 144 which in turn 1s mounted on a stud 146 attached to track 88 (FIG. 1). This flap 140 enables the vacuum to be turned on to suction head 60 as the suction head approaches label L, but still maintains effective pressure differential at the suction orifices when only the front edge of label L is engaged by the front edge of suction head 60, by flap 140 sealing ofl the remaining suction ports which have not as yet engaged label L. Thus, suction head 60 obtains and maintains an effective grip on the label to prevent slippage thereof which would cause label location on the article to be offset. With this arrangement, changeover to handle different length labels is readily achieved. Specifically, with an exchange of shoes 60, flap 140 automatically maintains sealing of the orifices in the shoes until closed off and sealed by the engaged label.

It is conceivable that certain details of this preferred embodiment illustrated may be modified without departing from the concepts presented herein. Hence, it is considered that the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims and the reasonable equivalents thereof, rather than to the specific details described and shown as illustrative of the invention.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows.

1. Labeling apparatus comprising: label strip advancing means for a label strip having spaced orifices therein, including a plurality of spaced bosses for engaging the orifices of a label strip and an intermittently driven support mounting said bosses, said bosses having protrusion receiving recess means; and positioning means for said bosses and an engaged label strip including protrusion means mounted to reciprocate into and out of said recess means.

2. The labeling apparatus in claim 1 wherein said recess means and said protrusion means have matched configurations.

3. The labeling apparatus in claim 1 wherein said protrusion means and said recess means are configurated to cause said protrusion means, when reciprocated into said recess means, to first have a loose fit therein and then to fit snuggly therein, and said support for said bosses being shiftable a minor amount by interfitting said protrusion means into said recess means, for shifting of the label strip to a controlled position.

4. The labeling apparatus in claim 3 wherein said protrusion means and said recess means are correspondingly tapered.

5. The labeling apparatus in claim 3 wherein said driven support is a rotational wheel having said bosses projecting radially therefrom at spaced intervals, with said recess means comprising radially inwardly extending, generally conical sockets; and said protrusion means comprises a generally conically shaped pin.

6. The labeling apparatus in claim 5 including label cut off means, and label feeding suction head means, the latter including a plurality of suction orifices arranged to engage successive portions of a cut label for securement and advancement thereof; and orifice sealing means posi tioned to cover said suction orifices until just prior to engagement thereof by label portions.

7. The labeling apparatus in claim 6 wherein said sealing means is a flexible flap.

8. Labeling apparatus comprising: label strip advancing means for a label strip having spaced orifices therein, including a plurality of spaced bosses for engaging the orifices of a label strip and an intermittently driven support mounting said bosses; shiftable positioning means for said bosses and an engaged label strip; said bosses and positioning means including, cooperative male and female portions; and said positioning means being shiftable into a cooperative condition relative to said bosses to accurately position said bosses and an engaged label strip.

9. The labeling apparatus in claim 8 wherein said support is a hub having rotational drive means thereto with play, and said male and female portions are tapered in complementary fashion to cause an ultimate snug interfit therebetween with minor shifting of said support.

10. Labeling apparatus comprising: a rotational hub; intermittent drive means to said hub; said hub having label strip advancing means on the periphery thereof; cooperative registry means for said hub adjacent said hub; cooperative male and female portions on said hub and said registry means adapted, when interengaged, to control the rotational position of said hub and thus the position of a label strip advanced thereby; and said registry means being shiftable toward said hub to cause momentary interengagement of said male and female portions between intermittent advancements of said hub for accurate registry of said hub and any label strip advanced thereby.

11. The labeling apparatus in claim 10 wherein said label strip advancing means comprise bosses to engage openings in a label strip.

12. The labeling apparatus in claim 11 wherein said male and female portions include female sockets in said bosses and a male portion on said registry means.

13. The labeling apparatus in claim 10 wherein said male and female portions include female portions on said hub and male portions on said registry means.

14. The labeling apparatus in claim 10 wherein said intermittent drive means includes biasing means to bias said hub to a consistent position slightly past the ultimate registry position of said hub, and said male and female portions have a tapered interfit to cause slight shift of said hub to accurate registry position.

15. Labeling apparatus comprising: label strip advancing means, label cut olf means and label feeding suction head means; said label feeding suction head means including a plurality of suction orifices arranged to engage successive portions of a cut label for securement and advancement thereof; and orifice sealing means positioned to cover ones of said suction orifices until just prior to engagement by the specific orifice of the label portions, said suction head having arcuate surface area revolvable about an axis and having said orifices therein, and said sealing means being a flexible flap oriented generally tangentially of said arcuate surface area.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,524,788 8/1970 Whitecar 156-568 2,525,741 10/1950 Von Hofe et al l56571 2,244,140 6/1941 Caldwell l56552 2,528,856 11/1950 Caldwell l56552 DANIEL J. FRITSCH, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

P0405? UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE CERTEFECAJLE Q1? CORRLCHUN Patent: No. 707,423 I I Dated December 26J 1972 Inventor(s) J R. Davies 'et a1 It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 3, line 40: The'numeral "106" should be ---l06'--- 'Column 4, line 33:

The numeral "28" should be, "-38" Signed and sealed this 3rd day of July 1973.

(SEAL) Attes't:

EDWARD MQPLETCHERJR. Attesting Officer Rene Tegtmeyer Acting Commissioner of Patents 

